How to Harvest Sunflower Seeds for Food and Flowers

With their sunny blooms, imposing stature and popularity with pollinators, sunflowers are magnificent flowers to behold.

For those who are curious about how to collect sunflower seeds, and the best way to save them for next year, there are a few simple tips to bear in mind if you want to guarantee success.

Also, if you want to witness the seasonal spectacle that is a field of dazzling sunflowers, be sure to read our guide to the best sunflower fields to visit in the UK.

Saving sunflower seeds for next year

Saving sunflower seeds is a simple and satisfying process. Firstly, make sure that your sunflowers have grown for the correct amount of time before you harvest their seeds; this is usually around 3 months after they have been sown.

A good sign that sunflowers have reached maturity is that their leaves will turn yellow and the seeds will be plump and firm. The flower heads will begin to point downwards, towards the ground, signifying that they are ripe for harvesting sunflower seeds for next year.

sunflower seeds in the hands of a farmer

Nes

Drying out sunflower seeds

Remember that you should resist picking your sunflowers immediately if you intend to dry out sunflower seeds for next year. Instead, leave the flower head on its stem for a couple of weeks until the petals have faded. At this point, you can cut the flower heads off with a set of sharp secateurs. Collect the seeds and store them in a paper envelope. This should be kept in a dark place that is cool and moisture-free. If stored correctly, they will be ready to plant in spring.

Should you take sunflower seeds out of the shell to plant?

No, to grow sunflowers from seed, you need to leave them safely encased within their hard, protective outer shell. The shell will naturally push off and separate as the sunflower grows in the ground. The root will then use its natural geotropism (a plant's growth response to gravity) to direct the sunflower plants' shoots up towards sunlight and the roots deep into the ground.

What can you do with sunflowers and seeds?

a hot skillet of freshly toasted sunflower seeds, ready to sprinkle over a soup or salad, over a rustic wooden table top.

Enrique Díaz / 7cero

Sunflower seeds offer a powerful antioxidant hit

There are so many things that you can do with sunflower seeds, including using them in your cooking, feeding them to local wildlife and garden birds. These nutritious and tasty seeds have a wide variety of uses, making harvesting sunflower seeds a worthwhile task.

Using sunflower seeds in cooking

Keen bakers will often sprinkle sunflower seeds - which are rich in antioxidants like vitamin E and selenium - into their breads and use them in or on top of cakes, pies and other baked goods. Sunflower seeds, once removed from their tough outer shells, also make excellent additions to salads, soups and breakfast bars.

Sunflower seeds for birds

house finch and goldfinch share sunflower seeds at birdfeeder in winter

arlutz73

Finches are fans of sunflower seeds

We're not the only ones who enjoys the taste of sunflower seeds – our feathered friends in the garden do too.

According to the RSPB, birds love this tasty treat and for good reason. Sunflower seeds are packed full of healthy fats and protein, making them a great source of nutrition in their diet. So, you can fill your bird feeders with these seeds, safe in the knowledge that they are beneficial for your garden visitors.

Making compost

Use the sunflower stems on your compost heap once you have harvested the seeds from the head. Sunflower stems are full of goodness and will break down over time, enriching your soil. Just be sure to chop and shred them first as they can take a while to break down.

Garden decor

Everlight Blooms The Riverlight Kingfisher – Glass‑Winged Bird Resting on a Leafed Stem

£45 at countrylivingshop.co.uk

Freelance journalist

Becky is a freelance journalist based in Somerset, UK, specialising in all things home, gardens, lifestyle, and entertainment. With a love of classic rom-coms and a penchant for romanticising her own everyday life, she enjoys embracing cosy, slow living with her family and their crazy Welsh collie, Cookie. Becky has been published in publications such as Cosmopolitan, The Independent, The Evening Standard, The Telegraph, Collider, Happiful Magazine, OK! And many more.